Whenever I’m feeling fancy, I make this crème brûlée cheesecake! There’s nothing quite as elegant as a torched sugar crust, and it’s so satisfying to crack it with a spoon before digging into this luscious cheesecake. Trust me, this one’s worth the extra effort!
Creamy as can-be cheesecake layered on top of a buttery graham cracker crust with a signature crème brûlée topping, this dessert is one of my absolute favorites! It’s impressive, delicious, and rich with both luscious consistency and sweet flavor.
Ingredients?
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Create a rich, flavorful crust. For a slightly different flavor, use vanilla wafers, digestive biscuits, or Biscoff cookies instread.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the crust and cheesecake and forms the signature cracked crust.
- Butter: Unsalted butter holds the crust together.
- Cream Cheese: Forms the base of the cheesecake, making it dense and creamy.
- Heavy Cream: Ensures the batter is not too thick.
- Sour Cream: Softens the texture of the cheesecake and adds moisture and tangy flavor. You can also use plain yogurt.
- Lime Juice: Adds a bit of acidity and helps to create a thick texture.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Adds a strong vanilla flavor. For a subtler flavor, use vanilla extract.
- Salt: Kosher salt enhances the natural flavor of the cream cheese.
- Eggs: Bind the cheesecake, creating a smooth and rich texture.
- Cornstarch: Helps to thicken and bind the cheesecake. All-purpose flour can be used in place of the cornstarch; simply increase the amount used to 2 ½ tablespoons.
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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How to Store
Store leftover crème brûlée cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving cold or at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results.
- When making the cheesecake, be sure to beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. If, when the cheesecake batter is complete, you still have lumps, simply press them against the side of the bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Do not overmix the cheesecake batter as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
- You can make this a chocolate crème brûlée cheesecake by melting 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips and folding them into the cheesecake batter. Try it with an Oreo cookie crust!
- Be sure to leave the cheesecake in the oven for the hour after baking to rest. This allows the cheesecake to set, thus preventing or at least lowering the chances that the cheesecake top cracks.
- Once the cheesecake is baked, placing it onto a cooling rack allows all of the cheesecake to be exposed to the air to cool more quickly. However, you can place the cheesecake onto a hot pad to cool, it may just take a little longer.
- To brûlée the top without a kitchen torch, heat a metal spoon over the stove, then once it’s nice and hot, you can heat the sugar with it and it will caramelize. Be careful not to burn your hands!
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2¾ cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 25 cracker sheets)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (1⅛ sticks)
For the Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese room temperature (3 bricks)
- 10 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup heavy cream room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1½ tablespoons lime juice (from ¾ lime)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Topping
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9-inch Springform Pan
- Stand Mixer
- Kitchen Torch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and gently spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- To make the crust, whisk the graham cracker crumbs and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the springform pan in an even layer.2¾ cups graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place the pan into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool slightly as you make the cheesecake batter. Increase the oven heat to 400°F
- Place the cream cheese and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2 minutes to ensure that the mixture is creamy and that no lumps of cream cheese remain.24 ounces cream cheese, 10 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Add in the heavy cream, sour cream, lime juice, vanilla bean paste, and salt, and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.⅔ cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup sour cream, 1½ tablespoons lime juice, 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Mix in the eggs until combined, then add in the cornstarch and mix until combined.4 large eggs, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pour the batter into the springform pan onto the crust. Smooth the top out as well as possible.
- Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent any water from seeping in. Place the springform pan into a larger baking pan or broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with 1 inch of water to create a water bath. Place the pans into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250°F and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Once baked, turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool for 30 minutes with the door closed. Open the oven door slightly and let the cheesecake continue to chill for 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and unwrap the tin foil. Place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
- Once cooled, cover with aluminum foil and place it into the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours.
- Once the cheesecake has chilled, run a butter knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to release the cheesecake from the pan. Release the springform and remove the sides from the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake onto a cake stand or serving platter.
- Spread the sugar topping over the surface of the cheesecake in an even layer. Use a kitchen torch to toast the sugar. Using medium-to-low heat, hold the torch 1 inch away from the sugar and slowly toast the sugar. Once the sugar starts to bubble, move on to another section, as it will burn easily.⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Once all of the sugar is toasted, let it set for several minutes to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
How to Make: Step-by-Step
Make the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and gently spray with nonstick spray. Set aside. Whisk 2¾ cups of graham cracker crumbs and ⅓ cup of granulated sugar together in a medium-sized bowl. Add in 9 tablespoons of unsalted butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the springform pan in an even layer. Place the pan into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool slightly as you make the cheesecake batter. Increase the oven heat to 400°F.
Beat the Cream Cheese: Place 24 ounces (3 bricks) of cream cheese and 10 tablespoons of granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2 minutes to ensure that the mixture is creamy and that no lumps of cream cheese remain.
Mix the Filling: Add in ⅔ cup of heavy cream, ⅓ cup of sour cream, 1½ tablespoons of lime juice, 1½ teaspoons of vanilla bean paste, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Thicken the Filling: Mix in 4 large eggs until combined, then add in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and mix until combined.
Smooth the Batter: Pour the batter into the springform pan onto the crust. Smooth the top out as well as possible.
Bake the Cheesecake: Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent any water from seeping in. Place the springform pan into a larger baking pan or broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with 1 inch of water to create a water bath. Place the pans into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250°F and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Once baked, turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool for 30 minutes with the door closed. Open the oven door slightly and let the cheesecake continue to chill for 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and unwrap the tin foil. Place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
Chill the Cheesecake: Once cooled, cover with aluminum foil and place it into the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours. Once the cheesecake has chilled, run a butter knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to release the cheesecake from the pan. Release the springform and remove the sides from the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake onto a cake stand or serving platter.
Brûlée the Cheesecake: Spread ⅓ cup of granulated sugar over the surface of the cheesecake in an even layer. Use a kitchen torch to toast the sugar. Using medium-to-low heat, hold the torch 1 inch away from the sugar and slowly toast the sugar. Once the sugar starts to bubble, move on to another section, as it will burn easily.
Set and Serve: Once all of the sugar is toasted, let it set for several minutes to cool completely before slicing and serving.
The cake came out great. If I will bake this again, I will add a little sugar and bake it at a higher temperature. It seems to me that it is undercooked.
Your cheesecake should be just a bit jiggly in the middle but not soupy when it is fully baked. It will continue to set as it cools! If it seemed a bit too loose in the middle, I recommend baking it for a bit longer but not increasing the oven temperature, as this could cause it to burn or dry out. Hope this helps!